Category: Compressed Workweeks

Precor Inc.,
Bothell

• CEO*: William Potts, President
• ETC: Patty Puckett, Assistant to the President

Compressed workweeks help recruit and retain employees

When Precor Inc., a growing manufacturer of exercise equipment, located in the Bothell North Creek area in 1986, the organization was faced with two problems: how to attract and retain employees in a tight labor market; and a shortage of parking spaces – only 200 spots were available to this company, which employs up to 1,000 people during peak production times.

Bothell Mayor Debbie Treen was on hand to recognize Precor for winning a Diamond Award. Precor President William Potts and Assistant to the President Patty Puckett accepted the award.

Management looked at a number of options and decided to implement a compressed workweek schedule for all production, maintenance, manufacturing, engineering, quality control, and warehouse staff. This decision made Precor very competitive for qualified workers, and the compressed schedules help retain them. Employees value the three-day weekends, report lower daycare costs, more time with family, and less commuting time and hassles.

Increased productivity and cost savings are added benefits

One concern of management with switching to a 4/10 workweek (four 10-hour days per week) was to maintain production levels. In fact, production increased by an estimated 5-10%. The 4/10 schedule eliminates two employee breaks per week, adding a half-hour of productivity. Sustaining slightly longer periods of work between breaks helps maintain momentum.

The other part of the productivity gain comes from fewer start ups and shut downs. It takes assembly line workers about half an hour to reach full speed at the start of each shift and after each break. Before the end of each shift, it takes workers approximately 15 minutes to clean up their areas. Precor saves one day per week of these start up and shut down costs.

Commute trips reduced

Precor also has solved its parking problem and accrued benefits toward its commute trip reduction goals. Because two-thirds of the employees work the compressed workweek, the number of commute trips to the site has been greatly reduced. The site has two main shifts: 6 am - 4:30 pm Monday through Thursday; and 5 pm - 3:30 am Monday through Thursday. The half hour gap between shifts allows one group of employees to clear out of the parking lot to make room for the next shift.

Precor encourages other means of reducing commute trips. Transit riders and vanpoolers receive a subsidy of $25 per month. A new subsidy of $10 per month is paid to employees who carpool, walk, or bike to work. This program was dubbed MAWV (Magically Arriving at work Without a Vehicle) by Patty Puckett, Employee Transportation Coordinator.

*Some definitions: An “ETC” is the staff-level employee transportation coordinator responsible for the daily administration of the transportation program; “PM” is the transportation program manager; and “CEO” refers to the top management-level person at the worksite. “SOV” stands for single-occupant vehicle, and “CTR” for commute trip reduction.